Expansible collapsing plug apparatus



' Jam... 26, 1943 E. T. AHERN EXPANSIBLE COLLAPSING PLUG APPARATUS 1 Filed April 50," 1941 INVE TOR. EDWARD T. AHEHN' ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 26, 1943 UNIT SAT EXPANSEBLE COLLAPSENG PLUG APPARATUS 1 Claim.

This invention relates to expansible collapsing plug apparatus adapted for plugging and preparing urinal trap interiors, and the like, for the application of a solvent solution for the removal of scale therefrom.

The objects of the improved apparatus are to provide adequate means for plugging at any desired intermediate location within the interior of a trap; to provide a reinforced expansi ble plug structure adapted in collapsed condition to be urged along, without buckling, an irregular interior course of low diameter leading to and Within a urinal trap; to provide means for directionally guiding the insertion of the plug along such irregular interior course; to provide means carried by the apparatus for sealing the floor opening of a floor urinal from which opening a grille is removed to admit the insertion of the apparatus; to provide means for separably connecting a plug, or a replacement thereof, to the apparatus; to provide external protective means adapted to shield an inner expansible member from physical contacts threatening its destruction; to provide means for employing the type of such inner expansible member with or without such protective means; to provide means for expending the inserted plug to a trap-plugging capacity; and to provide means for salvaging the rigid structural parts of the plug in the event of the destruction of the expansible portion thereof within a trap.

Referring to the accompanying drawing the Figure 1 is an upright view of the improved apparatus, the plug member being disconnected and a flexible tubular member having a wall portion cut out to expose an edge portion of a reinforcing member therein; the Figure 2 is an enlarged upright view of the plug member in cross-section and its means of connection with the flexible tu- Ibular member partly shown in cross-section; the Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective View of an under-the-floor trap for a floor urinal or shower drain with the improved apparatus inserted within the trap, the latter being illustrated in cross-section; and the Figure 4 illustrates the connecting means of the inner expansible member with a metal tubular member.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawing the tubular member I is preferably of flexible fabric-reinforced tubing of any required outside diameter best suitable for the ocoasion. Within the flexible fabric-reinforced tubular member I there is provided the metal reinforcement 2 which may be of any shape or bon form with a propensity for deflection only in two opposite directions, its lower extremity 3 being bent back upon itself to provide a wedge within the tubular member 1 against withdrawal. The tubular member I is provided at its upper extremity with the coupling member 4 having the intake valve 5, while the lower extremity of the member l is provided with the internally threaded coupling member 6 inserted within the member I, the latter having a rubber packing 6A therearound and a metal ferrule 63 securely binding the coupling member 6 therein. Slidingly carried exteriorly by the tubular member I is the bell-shaped guard 1 for a purpose to be explained.

The cartridge-shaped plug member 8 comprises the inner metal tubular member 9 having at one extremity the external thread Iii, the opposite end being permanently closed, as at H. Intermediate the length of the tubular member Q the wall is perforated, as at i2. An expansible 001- lapsed rubber sleeve I3 is drawn over a substantial length of the intermediate portion of the tubular member 9 covering the perforation at I2 and being bound securely at both ends to the tubular member 9, as at M, leaving exposed both extremities of the member 9. Supporting the closed end I I is the concentric socket l5 provided by a reduced portion N5 of the soft rubber base H, the reduced portion it having the annular groove [3 formed within its periphery. The ex ternally threaded upper end Iii of the member 9 is supported within a socket i9 provided within a reduced portion 23 of the soft rubber head 22 and the coupling member 20 held within the bore 2|, but having an externally threaded upwardly projecting portion 26A for a separable screw connection With the coupling member 6 of the tubular member I. An annular groove 2% is formed Within the periphery of the reduced portion 23 of the head 22.

A fabric sleeve 25 having a fulled width of preferably light weight material, and normally adapted to lie in folds, encloses the expansible collapsed rubber sleeve i3 upon the tubular member 9, the ends of the fabric sleeve 25 being bound and secured, respectively, around and within the annular grooves l8 and 28. A heavy walled rubber tubing 26 is passed over the fabric sleeve 25, the ends of the tubing 26 being fitted around, and cemented to, the peripheries of the soft rubber base ll and the head 22, respectively. A ferrule 21 snugly surrounds the cemented tubing 25 upon the base H, the annular edges 21A and 21B,

structure, but preferably is shown to be of ribat opposite ends of the ferrule 21, being rolled inwardly to reinforce the assembled lower end of the plug 8, while a ferrule 28 snugly surrounds the cemented tubing 26 upon the head 22, the annular edges 28A and 28B, at opposite ends of the ferrule 28, being rolled inwardly to reinforce the assembled upper end of the plug 8.

While in the Figure 2 the externally threaded upper end II] of the inner metal tubular member 9 has a threaded connection with the internally threaded lower end of the inserted metal coupling member within the soft rubber head 22, it, or a like metal tubular member 9 with its rubber sleeve covering I3, is also adapted for a like screwed connection with the internally threaded coupling portion 29 of the metal tubular member IA illustrated by the Figure 4, the tubular member IA at its upper extremity being provided with the externally threaded portion 30 and the intake valve 3|; whereby the separable connection of the tubular member 9 with either the flexible tubular member I, or the metal tubular member IA also having throughout its length a certain degree of flexibility, provides for the improved expansible collapsing plug apparatus a multiple use with Or without the protective structure with which the cartridge-shaped plug is provided; for, when the tubular member 9 is in connection with the metal tubular member IA, the member 9 becomes, per se, the expansible collapsing plug in place of the cartridge-shaped plug 8.

In the use of the improved apparatus, the cartridge-shaped plug 8 is first attached to the coupling member 6 of the flexible tubular member I in a manner quite similar to that of securing an electric lamp bulb by screwing it into a lamp socket.

The use of the improved apparatus in connection with the trap of a floor urinal or shower drain is illustrated by the Figure 4, but before inserting the plug 8, separably connected with the tubular member I, there is deposited within the trap 33, through the opening from which the grille 32 has been removed, a certain quantity of solvent solution to excite action within the trap 33, at 34 beyond where the plug 8 is to be located and expanded, as at 35, and then, after anchoring the plug 8 and thereby plugging the trap at the desired location, the trap interior at 36 above the expanded plug 8 is supplied with additional solvent solution and the bell-shaped guard I is made to slide down upon the tubular member I and dropped over the opening, from which the grille 32 was removed, to confine the action of the applied solution to within the trap 33 and its adjacent connections, and also for protection to the operator in the event of an accidentally collapsing plug within the trap 33. An air-pump (not shown) would suggest any type of apparatus or means adapted to supply means by which the plug 8 might be expanded to the extent indicated by the dotted lines 31 in the Figure l, and as shown in full line at in the Figure 3. Following the cleaning period, of course, the apparatus, comprising the tubular member I and the collapsed plug 8, must be withdrawn from within the opening through which it was inserted and, should by any accident the rubber tubings I3 and 26 become destroyed, the connected head 22 and base IT, by means of the fabric sleeve 25 and the inner metal tubular member 9, insure the recovery of such parts of the plug 8 that, if left within the trap interior, might constitute a serious obstruction therein.

The importance of the ribbon-formed reinforcement 2, within the tubular member I, lies in the fact that such ribbon form confines its possible deflection to two opposite directions. Consequently, with the manual gripping of the tubular member I in such way that a flat face of the reinforcement 2 is thus held positioned relative to the tubular member I so that a possible deflection of the reinforcement 2 conforms to the direction in which the plug must be guided along a particular irregular interior course leading to or within a trap, the reinfcrcement 2 becomes a directional guide in aiding the insertion and travel of the apparatus along such course.

The applicant is aware that the art already discloses a tubular apparatus shown to be adapted for insertion within the old type water-closet where the access to the trap is a direct spacious course through the water-closet bowl, such trap having a diameter adapted for the passage of fecal matter as well as urine. Such previous art is confined to an expansible plug comprised of a rubber bag permanently secured to the tubular member and has not any protective covering The improved apparatus herein disclosed is peculiarly adapted for insertion within openlugs and along regular and irregular courses leading to urinal and shower traps the interior diameter of which is, for obvious reasons, much less than that of water-closet traps. The improved apparatus provides expansible collapsing plugs which have separable connections with the tubular member and thus subject to ready replacement. Further, the improved apparatus provides a reinforcement within the tubular member which is an aid to directional guidance, and the axial reinforcement of the plug member provided by the metal tubular member connecting the plug head and base insures the full insertion of the plug without buckling or folding back upon itself as might be the case with a mere rubber bag. Finally, the improved plug with its inner expansible collapsing member protested by the fabric and heavy outside rubber shields tends to provide an indestructible plug that may be used with safety.

It is evident that the immediate-expansible member I3, when used in connection with the metal tubular member IA, does not have the exterior surface protection from contact with rough internal wall surfaces of a trap, or openings leading thereto, as is afforded the cartridgeshaped plug, but there are openings leading to traps, such as in some types of wall urinals, wherein the cartridge-shaped plug could not be inserted by reason of its necessary diameter. Therefore such smaller openings would demand the employment of a more compact apparatus which the connection of the inner metal tubular member, with its expansible collapsing rubber covering, with the metal tubular member IA provides and which by actual experience has been reduced to an outside diameter of one-quarter of an inch. However, when circumstances permit, the cartridge-shaped plug should be employed; for, by actual experience in an intentional attempt to puncture through both rubber and fabric shields and into the expanded inner plug member, it has been proven that upon puncture the compressed air is slowly released thus rendering a gradual collapse of the plug instead of an explosion, as in the instance of a punctured unprotected expanded plug of the cartridge-shaped type which, due to its wall thickness, requires high pressure to expand to a given diameter.

I claim:

An expansible collapsing plug apparatus for insertion and plugging at a selected place Within a urinal trap, or the like, the apparatus comprising a separable connectible plug member having an inner tubular member with a permanently closed end and a coupling member at the a head, upon the other end, supporting a coupling for connection with the coupling of the inner member; a fabric bag spacedly enclosing the rubber covered inner member and having a fixed capacity greater than that of the inflated elastic covering, the ends of the bag being secured to said base and head; a rubber protective sleeve enclosing the fabric bag; and a perforation in the rubber covered wall portion of the oposite end; an elastic rubber covering with 10 inner member whereby air may be forced therewhich an intermediate portion of the inner membar is provided, both ends of said covering being secured to opposite ends of the inner member; a base supporting one end of the inner member;

through to inflate the elastic member against the fabric bag interior thereby contacting the bag material with the protective covering.

EDWARD T. AHERN. 

